The Bravura of the Romani
by T2 Angel
Summary: Faye is distraught over Spike's decision to go after Vicious and the Red Dragons. Jet offers Faye the Hammerhead and a chance to go after Spike. One-shot. Inspired in part by "The Falling of a Star" by Daine Salamin. First story of 2018!


**A/N: 01.01.2018**

 **HAPPY NEW YEAR, DREAMERS!**

 **Good to be back! Enjoy this Cowboy Bebop one-shot! Also, I got some news but I'll save that for the end of the story. Also, a quick definition for the word bravura. "** ** **Bravura: Boldness; as in con bravura, boldly; the display of great daring; daring performance in ballet; bravura (plural bravuras): (music) A highly technical or difficult piece, usually written for effect."****

 ** **Alright! Enjoy!****

* * *

 **The Bravura of the Romani**

Faye was still crying when she realized that it had been over an hour since Spike left. She made her way into the living room and laid down on the couch, tears still falling from her eyes. She stared up at the ceiling, just thinking about that stupid cowboy.

" _I'm not going there to die,_ " Spike told her. " _I'm going to find out if I'm really alive. I have to do it, Faye._ "

Faye felt she was about to cry again but she managed to get ahold of herself before falling to pieces. She turned over on her side, trying to maybe even get comfortable. She realized immediately that wasn't happening.

Jet walked in and saw Faye lying on the couch. He sat down in the chair across from her.

"There's some chatter on the police radio," Jet said.

Faye wouldn't look at him. She didn't even move.

"Some kind of gunfight at a high rise in Tharsis. I think that's where the Red Dragon HQ is."

Faye still didn't move.

"Guess it's Spike. Wonder how it went."

"Probably getting himself killed," Faye whispered. "That idiot."

"Yeah, no kidding." Jet ran his head across his scalp and leaned back. "You okay?"

"Do I look okay?"

Jet sighed. He knew that there was no chance of talking to her and not hitting a brick wall. He couldn't blame her.

He was no better.

"You know, the _Hammerhead_ is still operational," Jet said.

"So, what?" Faye asked. "You still have a hole in your leg."

"Yeah. But you don't."

Faye actually picked her head up a bit.

Jet looked down at the floor. "The _Redtail_ is a mess for now. But… you can use the _Hammerhead_."

Faye turned toward Jet, "And what do you expect me to do with that?"

Jet stared at her. "Go after Spike. Hell, you want to, anyway."

"I couldn't give a rat's ass about that arrogant bastard. Damn gaucho."

"You couldn't be more full of crap if you tried."

Faye sat up, in a rush, "Screw you, Jet! I don't care about him!"

"You're the one crying!" Jet shouted back.

"I'm not crying over that asshole! He wouldn't cry over me! So, would I cry over him?!"

"Then what the hell are you doing?!"

"I'm angry as hell at that bastard! He throws us aside from someone else! Someone who's dead! Now, he's off to get himself killed! Screw him!"

"'Throws us aside', huh?" Jet asked. "You gonna keep telling me that you aren't crying over him?"

"I'm not!"

"Oh, yeah? Tell me again then. Why are you crying?"

"I'm crying because he left!" Faye screamed. "I'm crying because we don't matter to him! I'm crying because…" But she couldn't continue. She wanted to lie and say how much this wasn't really about Spike or, rather, her feelings for Spike.

She couldn't. The weight from the denial was becoming too great for her.

"I'm crying over him," Faye whispered.

Jet chuckled, lightly, "Yeah, I knew it."

"No, you don't get it," Faye said.

"Huh?"

"I'm crying because… because I wanted him to stay. With… with me."

Jet was flabbergasted. He was pushing her but he never, in a million years, thought she would admit anything like that. "What?"

"I wanted Spike to stay with me," she admitted, louder. Groaning, she dropped her head in her hand, "Oh, what the hell is wrong with me?"

Jet was still stunned.

Faye looked at Jet, bewildered. "Oh, my God. I think I'm in love with that jackass."

"Whaaaaaaaaaaa?!" Jet said, disbelievingly.

Faye leaned over and grabbed her skull, "What the hell is my problem?!"

Jet leaned forward, running his hand over his scalp. "I… don't know what to tell you, Faye."

Faye looked up at him.

"I knew you were missing Spike, even worried about him. But… I didn't think you were…" He exhaled. "I'm not good when it comes to, uh… well, what you just said."

"Does it matter to you, one way or the other?" Faye asked.

"All I know is I don't want Spike to die any more than you do," Jet said. "But… it was his choice."

"Exactly. Why should I bother going after him? He'd never love me anyway. I can't compete with her."

"Since when in the hell do you compete with anyone?"

"Give me a break, Jet. Okay? I'm new to this."

Jet exhaled. "That makes two of us." He pulled the starter key to the _Hammerhead_ from his pocket. "I can't tell you what to do, Faye." He set the key on the table, "I never could. And I have absolutely no advice on this. I'm worse at relationships than you are. I just knew that you were worried about him. I guess I am, too." He stood up, "I just wanted to give you the choice. Do what you want." He walked back to the bridge.

Faye stared at the key to Jet's ship, still lost at what to do. Going after Spike probably wouldn't do anything. He was probably dead already. She'd met Vicious. That man lived for death. If Vicious had control of the Red Dragons, they'd absolutely shoot Spike on sight. And Spike probably wanted it that way.

But then Faye thought about Julia. She had meant what she said to Jet: Julia was the kind of ordinary that no one could leave alone. She finally understood why Spike, Vicious, and even Gren couldn't forget about her. Faye knew she'd never forget her either.

Faye's mind went back to Spike Spiegel, himself. What he had been through with the Red Dragon Syndicate, how different he was when they were involved, and the different person he became whenever Julia's name came up. Spike had lived one hell of a life long before he met Faye and even before he met Jet. Faye realized that the combination of what Spike had survived and his strength to carry on through that were two reasons she fell for him in the first place.

She was lying to herself when she thought she'd never go back to the _Bebop_. She knew she would. She always knew. She'd gotten used to Jet and the ship. She even missed Ed and Ein and wished they were there. But, more than anything, she wanted to stay near Spike. She just wanted to be near him.

Whether he loved her or not, she still wanted him around.

Of course, she admitted to herself that would be the case: he would never love her, not like he loved Julia. Possibly, not at all. Even if he was still alive and came back to the ship, it would be the same song and dance with them. No romantic dinners, no sweet gestures, and she would never tell him how she felt and she'd make sure that Jet wouldn't either.

Faye and Spike would be around each other and annoy one another forever and she'd never have him in the way she wanted.

Faye shrugged. "I can live with that."

She snatched the key to the _Hammerhead_ then ran to grab some extra weaponry. Once she was loaded up, she got in Jet's ship and took off for Tharsis City.

The sun had already risen by the time she reached Tharsis. She could see the high rise building in the distance. What was left of it anyway.

"No way," Faye whispered, looking at the partially destroyed building. "Spike couldn't have done all that himself. Oh, who am I kidding? The hell he couldn't!" She landed the _Hammerhead_ in an empty parking lot three blocks from the site then ran toward the building.

Once she was close, she got a better look at all of the destruction. It was like the building imploded but was, somehow, still standing. There was debris and dead bodies all over with a group of Red Dragon members staring blankly inside. She drew one gun but kept it at her side as the Dragons didn't seem to be paying her much attention. She made her way further into the ruined building, moving past the Red Dragon members as she went, until she saw the idiot she fell in love with lying motionless on the destroyed staircase.

"No." She slowly walked closer, "No, no, no, no, no." She ran to Spike until she was close enough to kneel next to him. She dropped her gun and turned him over. "No, no, no! Spike! Spike, wake up! C'mon, you moron! You can't do this! Don't you do this! Not to me! Not to Jet! Wake up, right now! You've been through everything else! You survived everything else! Don't you dare let this kill you! WAKE UP!"

No response. Just a frozen smile on Spike's face.

Faye couldn't believe it. He was gone.

Her eyes started to water. "You idiot," she whispered. She screamed, "You _idiot!_ You dumbass! You absolute, frikkin' _dumbass!_ "

Some of the Red Dragon soldiers started to approach Faye and Spike but Faye stared at them.

"Go away," Faye ordered, with rage burning in her eyes.

The Red Dragons looked at each other, unsure.

"Did you hear me?! I said leave! Just get the hell out of here! He's dead! Can't you tell that?! This dumbass got what he wanted! He's dead! Your leader's dead! It's over! Go form your own damn gang! Go kill yourselves! I don't care! Or, hell, if you want revenge that bad, just shoot him some more and me, too! But if you're not gonna shoot us, leave! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

The Red Dragons looked at each other. Then lowered their weapons and walked away.

Faye let out a shaken breath. She looked down at Spike's face and wiped some of the blood away. She cradled his head, "You didn't listen to me. Why the hell did I think you ever would? You didn't have to go. Screw Vicious, screw the Red Dragons. We could've just let them be! Julia died!" She paused when she realized what she said. "And… and I'm sorry about that. I'm sorry she died. I'm sorry you lost her." Her anger came back, "But she was gone! You couldn't do anything for her! We could've just ran but no! You _had_ to come here! Had to do this! Had to fight Vicious! Had to die! Had to die to prove that you were alive! What kind of bullshit is that?! I can't believe that you were so full of it! At least on bull like that!"

She stopped and stared at his face. It looked like he was just sleeping. "And what I really can't believe? What's absolutely ridiculous? I can't believe that of all of the damn people, I had to fall in love with your stupid ass! You stupid, arrogant, insincere, rude, P.O.S., stubborn gaucho! I hate you and I love you!" She exhaled. "Jeez. Sounds about right when it comes to me."

She shook her head, realizing that she had gotten rid of a lot of her rage at the situation. She stared at Spike and felt her tears falling even more. "I'm so sorry, Spike. Sorry I didn't stop you. Sorry I couldn't… convince you not to do this, that you really were alive. I'm even sorry that I didn't… help you with Julia." She took a deep breath. "Sorry that I was a bitch all the time. Well, not for _all_ the times I was a bitch. A lot of times you deserved it. For being such a jackass!" She groaned thinking about all of the times he irritated her. "Seriously, I'd rather be in love with a damn cat than you!" She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. "But, I guess… cats aren't really that bad. Probably another reason I actually find you appealing."

She heard what sounded like a chuckle.

"I have a lot in common with cats," Spike whispered.

Faye gasped and opened her eyes. She looked down at him, "Spike?"

Spike opened one eye and looked up at her, "Hey, Faye. How're things?"

She let out a relieved exhale, "Oh, I should kill you!"

He chuckled, lowly. "I died, once already today."

She started to cry but managed to smile. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Somewhere around 'get the hell out of here.'"

"You heard everything."

"Yeah."

Faye shook her head. "We can deal with all that later." She saw an ambulance flying toward them and waved them down, "Let's get you outta here."

Spike placed his hand on her arm.

She looked at him.

"Thanks for coming after to me, Faye."

"Wasn't soon enough," she replied.

"Yeah, it was. Thanks for coming at all."

She smiled. A genuine smile. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You're welcome."

* * *

 **A/N: Did you guys enjoy it?! Leave me some reviews!  
**

 **Also, my news is that I might be doing a Cowboy Bebop chapter story that takes place after the series. We'll see what 2018 brings. Should be a great year! Thanks for reading guys! See you soon!  
**


End file.
